The procession to be held on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) will be part of a larger plan by the Muslim leaders to bridge gaps with the majority community and remove misunderstandings about Islam and Muslims.
Muhammad Raafi | TwoCircles.net
NEW DELHI — Muslim leaders of Mumbai are planning to hold a massive procession on Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) as part of a reach-out plan for upholding the civil rights of the minorities.
The procession will be part of a larger plan by the Muslim leaders to bridge gaps with the majority community and remove misunderstandings about Islam and Muslims.
On July 19, various leaders, social activists and academicians held a meeting at Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai.
“The meeting was attended by 60-70 people,” Islam Gymkhana President Yusuf Abrahni told TwoCircles.net
He said that the main concern of the meeting was to chalk out a strategy on how to remove the hatred between Muslims and non-Muslims. There was a suggestion that every Muslim should at least meet 4 non-Muslims and speak to them and clear their misunderstandings about Islam, Hadith and Quran, he said.
On the occasion, while proposing a procession on Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW), Abrahni said they will hold a big procession in Mumbai to propagate the religion properly. He said Ahadith would be displayed on hoardings throughout Maharashtra so that non-Muslims read and understand what Islam means and what Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said. “We should try to bridge the gap between the communities.”
He said the procession will also raise awareness among the masses about how the TV channels create and script hatred among communities. “We will even campaign against ‘Muslim leaders’ who give provocative statements,” he said.
Since July 19, the Muslim leaders of Mumbai including Abrahni are meeting people from the majority community and chalking out a strategy for the procession. The leaders have also approached prominent Hindus and Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple. “We will invite them for a common program.”
For now, the Muslim leaders and activists who participated in the July 19 event have been holding small meetings with eight to ten people every day and are campaigning for the procession. They are also planning to invite prominent BJP, Congress and NCP leaders, prominent NGOs, and social activists for the procession. Besides, the leaders will also run a social media campaign.
Abrahni said that the procession will be jointly organized by All India Khilafat Committee, Mumbai.
Sarfaraz Aarzoo, chairman of the All India Khilafat Committee and editor of Hindustan Urdu told TwoCircles.net that there is no political intervention to whatever is happening across the country. “Muslims in India do not have any other option other than judicial activism,” he said.
Aarzoo said that the Muslims are at the mercy of the majority, even the political majority. The only avenues open are going through courts and asking for the implementation of the constitutional guarantees that are offered to everybody. “So, this is what we want,” he said.
He said that Muslims are all going gaga about the constitutional implementation but we have shut our eyes to the executive harassment of minorities. “I mean courts come in the picture only at the later stage but the first sign of political indulgence comes with the police and other departments calling you over, especially the agencies picking you up.”
He said the latest initiative will have to be provided with proper feet for it to stand on. “Until we provide them with the required paraphernalia, this thing will also fizzle out like other attempts in the past.”
“What is required is a very robust team. First, we have to accumulate all the data that is available and have a chronology prepared for all the incidents that are taking place across India. Second, intervention at a judicial level, which is asking for bail and asking for other judicial acquittals,” he said.
Still, he said, we don’t have any other option but the judiciary. “The initiative requires perseverance and intention to follow till the end.”
Meanwhile, Abrahni said that the initiative will spread across the country. “Since Mumbai is the centre of Indian Muslims, whatever happens here will be followed by people from other parts of the country.”
Muhammad Raafi is a journalist based in New Delhi. He covers politics and human rights. He tweets at @MohammadRaafi